Tracing converter



United States Patent 3,182,399 TRACING CONVERTER Robert S. Price, 3839 Dustin Road, P.O. Box 31, Burtonsville, Md. Filed Oct. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 62,810 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-23) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to tracing apparatus and more particularly to an electrical tracing converter device in which desired proportions of x and y axis coordinates of graphical data may be independently selected for reproduction on an x-y plotter.

In reproduction of graphical information it is sometimes desired to reproduce such information in a manner to emphasize or deemphasize either the x-axis or yaxis dimension of information. Conventional pantographs and photographic enlargers, for example, must enlarge or reduce data for each axis by the same proportion whereas the unique apparatus of the present invention provides for 'individual selection of the `degree of magnification or reduction of each of the x and y axes independently.

The independent selection of scale values is provided by the employment of individual sensitivity potentiometers in conjunction with each of the x and y axes displacement potentiometers respectively.

It is an object of this invention to provide tracing apparatus for reproducing graphical data in which the scale factor of the x and y axes may be independently selected.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tracing converter with a sensitivity potentiometer in the Jpc-axis and in the y-axis thereof. A further object of this invention is to provide tracing apparatus for x-y coordinate graphical data in which the magnification or reduction of the original data may be independently selected for each of the x and y axes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved tracing converter for reproducing graphical data on an x-y plotter in which magnification or reduction of the data of the x and y axes may be selected independently.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein FIG. 1 of the drawing is a View in perspective and partly broken away illustrating a preferred embodiment of the tracing unit of the invention, and

FIG. 2 of the drawing illustrates a schematic circuit suitable for use with the tracer converter of the present invention as connected to an x-y plotter. y

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the physical arrangement of the apparatus is illustrated in which the horizontal x-axis positioning is provided by block 11 which is slidably mounted on cylindrical rod 13. Cylindrical rod 13 is supported at the ends thereof by supporting members 15 and 17 respectively which may be fastened by means of screws or bolts to a surface 18 such as a table top. A potentiometer 19 for x-axis displacement is mounted on supporting member 17. Potentiometer 19 has a shaft 21 upon which is connected grooved pulley 23. A second grooved pulley 25 is rotatably mounted on shaft 27 which is fixed to supporting member 15. A fine wire or string 29 is connected or tied to block 11 at the ends thereof and wound around pulleys 23 and 25 such that when block 11 is moved along the x-axis, pulleys 23 and 25 will rotate and potentiometer shaft 21 will be moved, varying the potentiometer setting. A y-axis rod 31 is supported by blocks 33 and 35. A stabilizing bar 37 connects between blocks 11 and 35. Block 33 is fixedly attached to block 35. A block 39 is slidably mounted on rod 31 for y-axis displacement. A y-axis potentiometer 41 is mounted on block 11 with a pulley extending from the lowerV side, not shown in the drawing. The pulley of potentiometer 41 is connected to pulley 42 rotatively mounted on block 35, through a l'ine wire or string 43 which is tied or otherwise secured at its ends to block 39 such that the pulleys of potentiometer 41 is rotated when block 39 is moved along rod 31 on the y-axis. Tracing element 45 having point 47 is supported by arm 49 which is secured to block 39. In operation, a curve such as curve 51 on chart 53 secured to Surface 18 may be followed by tracing point 47 by manually moving tracing element 45 along curve 51. When the tracing element is moved along curve 51, for example, slidable blocks 11 and 39 are caused to be moved and the shafts of potentiometers 19 and 41 rotated. A roller 55 may be provided on block 35 to reduce friction between block 35 and surface 18.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing in which a schematic diagram of the electrical circuitry including the potentiometers of the invention is illustrated, voltage sources 101 and 103 are connected to supply voltages respectively to the resistance elements 105 and 107 of potentiometers 19 and 41 respectively. Voltage sources 101 and 103 also connect across resistance elements 109 and 111 of potentiometers 113 and 115 respectively. Movable taps 117 and 119 of potentiometers 19 and 113 connect to resistance element 121 of potentiometer 123. In like manner, movable taps 125 and 127 of potentiometers 41 and 115 connect across the resistance element 128 of potentiometer 129. Potentiometers 123 and 129 have movable taps 131 and 133 respectively.

Switches 135 and 137 are provided to connect or disconnect batteries 101 and 103 from the circuits. These switches may be mechanically coupled` or ganged as indicated. The outputs of the tracing converter potentiometers are fed to a conventional x-y plotter 139 for reproduction. The x-axis information is fed to the plotter from movable taps 119 and 131, and the y-aXis information is fed to the plotter from movable taps 127 and 133.

Referring to both FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings potentiometers 113 and 115 are provided for zero adjustments of the x-aXis and y-aXis output voltages respectively of the tracing converter.

In operation, potentiometer taps 117 and 125 are adjusted to a desired initial position as a result of movement of the tracing element. Potentiometer taps 119 and 127 are now adjusted to produce a zero output voltage at the input to x-y plotter 139. Taps 131 and 133 are independently moved to produce the desired scales of voltages at the input of the x-y plotter.

Obviously many modifications present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Tracing apparatus for reproduction of graphical data comprising a tracing implement for following graphical data on x and y coordinate axes, first guide means, said tracing implement slideably connected to said guide means to provide displacement of said implement and variations of the along a y axis, second guide means slideably mounted on said first guide means to provide displacement of said tracing implement along an x axis, a first enclosed rotary potentiometer mounted at one end of said first guide means having a pair of terminals and a moveabletap, said moveable tap having a rotatable shaft connected thereto with a first pulley fastened thereon, means connecting the terminals of said potentiometer to first source of D.C. voltage, a second pulley mounted on the other end of said first guide means, a first endless line rotatably engaging said first and second pulleys, means fastening said first endless line to said tracing implement such that said tap will move in linearly proportional relationship with the movement of said tracing implement along said first guide means whereby the voltage at said tap will be proportional to the instant position of said tracing implement withrrespect to said first guide means, a second enclosed rotary potentiometer having a pair of terminals and a moveable tap, said moveable tap-having a rotatable shaft connected thereto with a third pulley fastened thereon, said terminals connected to a second source of D.C. voltage, a fourth pulley mounted at the other end Vof said sccond guide means, a second endless line rotatably engaging said third and fourth pulleys, means fastening said second endless line to said first guide means such that said tap of said second potentiometer will move in linearly proportional relationship with the movement of said first guide means along said second guide means whereby the voltage at the tap of said second potentiometer will be proportional to the instant position of said first guide means, a first sensitivity potentiometer connected between the tap of said first potentiometer and the y axis input of an x-y plotter such that a desired portion of the voltage at the tap of said first potentiometer may be independently selected and applied to said y axis input of said xi-y plotter, a second sensitivity potentiometer connected between the tap of said second potentiometer and the x axis input of said xy plotter such that a desired portion of the voltage at the tap of said second potentiometer may be independently selected and applied to said x axis input of said x-y plotter.

2. Tracing apparatus for reproducing x-y coordinate axes graphical data comprising a first cylindrical rod disposed along an x axis coordinate, a first slideable block slideably\mounted on said first cylindrical rod, a second cylindricakrod mounted onsaid first block and disposed along a yaxis coordinate, a second slideable block slideably mounted on said second cylindrical rod, tracing means attached to said second block for movement therewith, a first enclosed rotary potentiometer having a pair of terminals connected to a first source of D.C. voltage, said first potentiometer having a rotatable shaft with a first pulley fastened thereon, said first potentiometer being mounted at one end of said first cylindrical rod, a second pulley mounted at the other end of said first cylindrical rod, a first endless line rotatably Vengaging said first and second pulleys and fastened to said first slideable block to move with the movement of said first slideable block, aV second enclosed rotary potentiometer having'a pair of terminals and a rotatable shaft with a third pulley fastened thereon, said terminals of said second potentiometer being connected to a second source of D.C. voltage, said second potentiometer being mounted at one end of said second cylindrical rod, a fourth pulley mounted at the other end of said second cylindrical rod, a second end-v less line rotatably engaging saidA third and fourth pulleys and fastened to said second slideable block toprnove with the movement of said second slideable block, a first sensitivity potentiometer connectingl said tap of said first potentiometer to a first output terminal meansk such that a( Y Y desired portion of an output voltage of saidk first potentiometer representing a desired scale factor may be independently selected and applied to said first terminal means, a second sensitivity potentiometer connecting said tap of said second potentiometer to a second output terminal means such that a desired portion of an output voltage of said second potentiometer representing a desired scale factor may be independently selected and applied to said second Vterminal means.

References Cited bythe Examiner YUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,494,663 1/50 Lobosco 33 27 Xk 2,786,973 3/57 Kutzler 318--19 2,820,935 l/53 Kleason 318-29 2,9i2,63()` 11/59 Wolfendale 318-19 l 2,919,305 l2/59 Ridings 178--19 3,024,396 3/62 Peckjian 318-19 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,049,494 8/53 France.

isAAo LTSANN, Prim-ary Emitting. ROBERTKL. EvANs, Examiner. 

1. TRACING APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCTION OF GRAPHICAL DATA COMPRISING A TRACING IMPLEMENT FOR FOLLOWING GRAPHICAL DATA ON A AND Y COORDINATE AXES, FIRST GUIDE MEANS, SAID TRACING IMPLEMENT SLIDEABLY CONNECTED TO SAID GUIDE MEANS TO PROVIDE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID IMPLEMENT ALONG A Y AXIS, SECOND GUIDE MEANS SLIDEABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS TO PROVIDE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID TRACING IMPLEMENT ALONG AN X AXIS, A FIRST ENCLOSED ROTARY POTENTIOMETER MOUNTED AT ONE END OF SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF TERMINAL AND A MOVABLE TAP, SAID MOVEABLE TAP HAVING A ROTATABLY SHAFT CONNECTED THERETO WITH A FIRST PULLEY FASTENED THEREON, MEANS CONNECTING THE TERMINALS OF SAID POTENTIOMETER OF FIRST SOURCE OF D.-C. VOLTAGE, A SECOND PULLEY MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS, A FIRST ENDLESS LINE ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PULLEYS, MEANS FASTENING SAID FIRST ENDLESS LINE TO SAID TRACING IMPLEMENT SUCH THAT SAID TAP WILL MOVE IN LINEARLY PROPORTIONAL RELTIONSHIP WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID TRACING IMPLEMENT ALONG SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS WHEREBY THE VOLTAGE AT SAID TAP WILLBE PROPORTIONAL TO THE INSTANT POSITION OF SAID TRACING IMPLEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS, A SECOND ENCLOSED ROTARY POTENTIOMETER HAVING A PAIR OF TERMINALS AND A MOVEABLE TAP, SAID MOVABLE TAP HAVING A ROTATABLY AND A CONNECTED THERETO WITH A THIRD PULLEY FASTENED THEREON, SAID TERMINALS CONNECTED TO A SECOND SOURCE OF D.-C. VOLTAGE, A FOURTH PULLE MOUNTED AT THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND GUIDE MEANS, A SECOND ENDLESS LINE ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID THIRD AND FOURTH PULLEYS, MEANS FASTENING SAID SECOND ENDLESS LINE TO SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS SUCH THAT SAID TAP OF SAID SECOND POTENTIOMETER WILL MOVE IN LINEARLY PROPORTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MOVEMNT OF SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS ALONG SAID SECOND GUIDE MEANS WHEREBY THE VOLTAGE AT THE TAP OF SAID SECOND POTENTIOMETER WILL BE PROPORTIONAL TO THE INSTANT POSITION OF SAID FIRST GUIDE MEANS, A FIRST SENSITIVITY POTENTIOMETER CONNECTED BETWEEN THE TAP OF SAID FIRST POTENTIOMETER AND THE Y AXIS INPUT OF AN X-Y PLOTTER SUCH THAT A DESIRED PORTION OF THE VOLTAGE AT THE TOP OF SAID FIRST POTENTIOMETER MAY BE INDEPENDENTLY SELECTED AND APPLIED TO SAID Y AXIS INPUT OF SAID X-Y PLOTTER, A SECOND SENSITIVITY POTENTIOMETER CONNECTED BETWEEN, THE TAP OF SAID SECOND POTENTIOMETER AND THE X AXIS INPUT OF SAID X-Y PLOTTER SUCH THAT A DESIRED PORTION OF THE VOLTAGE AT THE TAP OF SAID SECOND POTENTIOMETER MAY BE INDEPENDENTLY SELECTED AND APPLIED TO SAID X AXIS INPUT OF SAID X-Y PLOTTER. 